Thursday, March 19, 2015

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 334

Summary: This
is a board book with the lyrics of the chorus to this fun song. In case you
don’t know it, here are those lyrics:

You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy when
skies are gray.

You’ll never know, dear,
how much I love you.

Please don’t take my
sunshine away.

Hanna’s Comments: This is a 2nd PBT Dynamic Duo offering. The
subtitle of yesterday’s book is the title of today’s book and a popular
American song. Long ago, I learned this fun song at church camp where we loved
to sing it in a variety of silly renditions. The song was first recorded in the
1930s as a country song, but it has been covered by so many singers and sung in
various contexts that it is more like an American folk song now. The verses are
a little more mature than the chorus and are about romantic love so it makes
sense that only the chorus would be offered for young children, but don’t limit
the application of this idea to just young children. If a board book is
inappropriate, simply offer the song via a different method. We sang the first
verse at my church camp. It was a fun, non-threatening way to sing about romantic
love with fellow adolescents in an environment awash with Christ’s love. Check
out the verses by watching one of the many versions you’ll find on Youtube.com.

I
don’t say this often enough: Many of the books I offer and conversations I
encourage here at PBT can be enjoyed at home with a parent/grandparent and
child. This is a perfect example. Read the Toot and Puddle Book offered
yesterday. Sing You are My Sunshine, if you have the book or not. Then talk about how God’s love shines on and
through all of us when the skies outside are gray or blue and whether we are
feeling blue (or even a little gray).

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Cartwheel Books,
2011

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2 and up, Toddler and up

# of Pages:
12

Available in Spanish? Not at present but there is a nice video of the
song being sung in Spanish on Youtube.com.

Formats other than Book: There are many videos of this song on
Youtube.com though they are not related to this book.

Scripture Connections: The Lord make his face to shine upon you and
be gracious to you (Numbers 6:1b); arise, shine, for you light has come, and
the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1); Jesus said, “I am the
light of the world. (John 8:12a); …now you are light in the Lord. Walk as
children of light. (Ephesians 5:8b);

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book when doing a young children’s
lesson on how God’s light shines through us, Jesus is the light of the world, or
how love between people can be like a sunshine.

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PBT is a joyful labor of love, requiring a huge investment of my time, energy, and money. If you have enjoyed or benefited from the PBT website, please consider saying thanks via a donation. I like knowing that my work is appreciated. Hanna